I launch at the first cove past the Putah creek bridge. It's a piece of cake with a float tube, not quite as easy with my kayak. I have a fish finder but basically just use it to verify depths and structure. From now to around Easter, as the water warms up, the fish will be in really shallow. I have had a bass jump onto the bank to grab a rubber worm that I had cast too far. As the day progressed on Saturday the fish moved into shallower water. In the morning, I was catching them up to 25 feet or so down.
Hit up google maps and look at the 2 islands that are just past the Putah creek bridge. Circle both of those and fish the shoreline on the way back to the put in/take out. Historically, the shoreline between the two islands and the North side of the Southern island, are smallmouth hot spots.
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Winter eats heat the way darkness swallows light. The terrors of failed power and frozen stems are stymied with fire, smoke and white ash.
Good to hear. There are no honey holes or secret spots anymore, especially regarding Berryessa. There are so many bass boats flying from point to point on any given weekend that you pretty much have to fish the same water/fish.
I think the main difference between the kayak/float tube crowd and the bass boats is how fast they cover the water. It's seldom to see a bass boat spend much time on a given point or location. All to often you see them make 5-10 casts before using the foot controlled electric motor to follow a contour or fire up their beast and blast off to the next spot. Without the ponies on the back of a boat we are regulated to spending more time at any given location. Better known as beat the water to death and find whatever is willing to bite.
I'll be back up there chucking split shot and rubber worms either Saturday or Sunday.
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Winter eats heat the way darkness swallows light. The terrors of failed power and frozen stems are stymied with fire, smoke and white ash.
Crappy weather for the last few weeks followed by this week of warmer weather and sun. If Ii was a bass guy I'd try to be on the lake mid-week. It will be a zoo up there next weekend. Bite should be fully on.
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Winter eats heat the way darkness swallows light. The terrors of failed power and frozen stems are stymied with fire, smoke and white ash.
Obviously I haven't been up to Berryessa recently but It's that time of the year again. I always enjoyed bass fishing up there out of a tube or kayak.
I've been sifting through roughly 17k posts on a Michigan forum dating back to April 2000 to plan out this years steelhead, brown and brookie adventures. With rare exception the rivers and lakes up here are listed as "unmentionables" on the forum in order to preserve the fisheries. It's a lot of reading between the lines and looking at maps and DNR info to decipher what, where and when. Steelhead season is coming up fast in my area but an above average snowpack and subsequent runoff, when it finally warms up, might be problematic.